Braille Data Entry Using Continuous Contact Virtual Keyboard

1. A method comprising: displaying a virtual Braille keyboard with a set of six Braille dot touch points for inputting a Braille character and at least one other area for inputting one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character; sensing a first touch gesture at a subset of the set of six Braille dot touch points at the virtual Braille keyboard, wherein the first touch gesture corresponds to a Braille character; sensing a second touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points in the set of Braille dot touch points, wherein a contact with a layout of the virtual Braille keyboard at a Braille dot touch point is continuously maintained while transitioning from the first touch gesture to the second touch gesture; accepting, responsive to the second touch gesture, the Braille character; providing a first tactile feedback indicating that the Braille character has been accepted; sensing a third touch gesture at a second subset of the set of Braille dot touch points, the third touch gesture corresponding to a second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitioning from the second touch gesture to the third touch gesture; registering, responsive to the third touch gesture at the additional touch area being followed by a fourth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points and a space character portion of the virtual Braille keyboard, the second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitioning from the third touch gesture to the fourth touch gesture; ending accepting of Braille data entry input from the virtual Braille keyboard responsive to sensing that none of the six Braille dot touch points on the virtual Braille keyboard are being touched, and ignoring any remaining touches in other areas as long as all touches have been removed from the six Braille dot touch points to recognize the end of Braille data entry input; and providing a second tactile feedback indicating a confirmation that a Braille input process has ended.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: registering, responsive to a fifth touch at the at least one other touch area being followed by a sixth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points, one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: shifting data entry focus to a second data entry field, to accept the Braille data entry input in the second data entry field.

4. A computer usable program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including computer usable code, the computer usable code comprising: computer usable code for displaying a virtual Braille keyboard with a set of six Braille dot touch points for inputting a Braille character and at least one other area for inputting one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character; computer usable code for sensing a first touch gesture at a subset of the set of six Braille dot touch points at the virtual Braille keyboard, wherein the first touch gesture corresponds to a Braille character; computer usable code for sensing a second touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points in the set of Braille dot touch points, wherein a contact with a layout of the virtual Braille keyboard at a Braille dot touch point is continuously maintained while transitioning from the first touch gesture to the second touch gesture; computer usable code for accepting, responsive to the second touch gesture, the Braille character; computer usable code for providing a first tactile feedback indicating that the Braille character has been accepted; computer usable code for sensing a third touch gesture at a second subset of the set of Braille dot touch points, the third touch gesture corresponding to a second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitioning from the second touch gesture to the third touch gesture; computer usable code for registering, responsive to the third touch gesture at the additional touch area being followed by a fourth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points and a space character portion of the virtual Braille keyboard, the second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitioning from the third touch gesture to the fourth touch gesture; computer usable code for ending accepting of Braille data entry input from the virtual Braille keyboard responsive to sensing that none of the six Braille dot touch points on the virtual Braille keyboard are being touched, and ignoring any remaining touches in other areas as long as all touches have been removed from the six Braille dot touch points to recognize the end of Braille data entry input; and computer usable code for providing a second tactile feedback indicating a confirmation that a Braille input process has ended.

5. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , further comprising: computer usable code for registering, responsive to a fifth touch at the at least one other touch area being followed by a sixth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points, one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character.

6. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , further comprising: computer usable code for shifting data entry focus to a second data entry field, to accept the Braille data entry input in the second data entry field.

7. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

8. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

9. A data processing system comprising: a storage device, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises: computer usable code for displaying a virtual Braille keyboard with a set of six Braille dot touch points for inputting a Braille character and at least one other area for inputting one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character; computer usable code for sensing a first touch gesture at a subset of the set of six Braille dot touch points at the virtual Braille keyboard, wherein the first touch gesture corresponds to a Braille character; computer usable code for sensing a second touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points in the set of Braille dot touch points, wherein a contact with a layout of the virtual Braille keyboard at a Braille dot touch point is continuously maintained while transitioning from the first touch gesture to the second touch gesture; computer usable code for accepting, responsive to the second touch gesture, the Braille character; computer usable code for providing a first tactile feedback indicating that the Braille character has been accepted; computer usable code for sensing a third touch gesture at a second subset of the set of Braille dot touch points, the third touch gesture corresponding to a second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitions from the second touch gesture to the third touch gesture; computer usable code for registering, responsive to the third touch gesture at the additional touch area being followed by a fourth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points and a space character portion of the virtual Braille keyboard, the second Braille character, wherein a contact with at least one of the six Braille dot touch points is continuously maintained while transitioning from the third touch gesture to the fourth touch gesture; computer usable code for ending accepting of Braille data entry input from the virtual Braille keyboard responsive to sensing that none of the six Braille dot touch points on the virtual Braille keyboard are being touched, and ignoring any remaining touches in other areas as long as all touches have been removed from the six Braille dot touch points to recognize the end of Braille data entry input; and computer usable code for providing a second tactile feedback indicating a confirmation that a Braille input process has ended.

10. The data processing system of claim 9 , further comprising: computer usable code for registering, responsive to a fifth touch at the at least one other touch area being followed by a sixth touch gesture that concurrently touches each of the six Braille dot touch points, one of a back-space, a line space, or a space character.

11. The data processing system of claim 9 , further comprising: computer usable code for shifting data entry focus to a second data entry field, to accept the Braille data entry input in the second data entry field.